Gaming Bling Getting Expensive

Extremetech has an article about the rising cost of computer gaming. It is certainly worth a look if this is your hobby.

"The market for PC hardware is hugely fragmented. There seem to be hundreds of suppliers of peripherals, such as keyboard, mice, and displays. There are dozens of manufacturers of motherboards and add- in cards.

Let's take a pair of hypothetical gamers: Joe and Frank. Both want to build bleeding edge gaming PCs, and want to try to get the best possible performance. However, Joe tends to fall for all the latest hype, and likes being labeled a gamer. He likes all the glitz and logos, and loves to show off. Frank, on the other hand, just wants the best possible gaming experience. Both can afford to spend the money they want to get that experience."

Of particular interest is the cost for all the "glitz and logos". Of the 7components in the example, the price delta between the first and second rig ran $566, and most of it was for glitz.